Ontario Government Suspends Price Caps On Secondary Ticketing

Whether or not we believe that cap and trade or carbon taxes or whatever, actually improves the environment is a moot point; we should be concerned that the government is running up a huge bill to nix the programs.

"We are getting Ontario out of the carbon tax business", Ford said in a statement.

While the "wind-down" is effective, Ford's government has committed to honoring arrangements or contracts that have already been signed through programs for energy efficiency, insulations, and window retrofits.

Ford cited a 2016 report by Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk which concluded that despite its $8-billion price tag from 2017 to 2020, Wynne's cap-and-trade scheme would not significantly lower Ontario's greenhouse gas emissions.

The premier said the government will decide on a case-by-case basis whether some initiatives previously funded by the program will be paid for using tax base revenue.

In order to scrap the program, the premier must first amend or rescind the legislation that governs it, said Keith Brooks, program director for the advocacy group Environmental Defence.

Ford's Progressive Conservative government swept to power last month, ending 15 years of Liberal rule in Ontario, Canada's most populous province and the country's economic engine, with a promise to cut corporate and personal taxes. Analysts have said they expect ditching cap-and-trade will ease the burden on businesses in the short-term.

In an official statement by the Government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that he will immediately move forward with his plan to put money back into "the pockets of the people" by taking the government out of the "carbon business". "Today we are keeping that promise", he said.